For the first time in over a year, there is a new face at the top of my MVP rankings. LeBron James is still the best player in the NBA, but there is another player who has his team outplaying the Heat and has led his team to the league's best record, landing him at the top of the MVP rankings for the first time in his career. Here are my current rankings, with players grouped by similar level of performance.
TW. (LW) Player - Team - Stats
1. (2) Kevin Durant - OKC - 27.5 pts, 8.4 reb, 4.2 ast, 1.3 blk, 1.6 stl, .515 FG%, .439 3P%, .897 FT%
2. (1) LeBron James - MIA - 25.5 pts, 8.6 reb, 6.8 ast, 1.4 stl, .542 FG%, .444 3P%
3. (4) Russell Westbrook - OKC - 20.8 pts, 4.7 reb, 8.7 ast, 2.0 stl, .365 3P%, .769 FT%
4. (3) Carmelo Anthony - NYK - 27.9 pts, 6.4 reb, 2.0 ast, .455 3P%, .808 FT%
5. (7) Kobe Bryant - LAL - 29.3 pts, 5.3 reb, 4.9 ast, 1.6 stl, .382 3P%, .864 FT%
6. (10) Tim Duncan - SAS - 17.8 pts, 10.2 reb, 2.4 ast, 2.6 blk, .513 FG%, .792 FT%
7. (8) Chris Bosh - MIA - 18.5 pts, 8.3 reb, 1.5 ast, 1.4 blk, .540 FG%, .822 FT%
8. (NR) David Lee - GSW - 19.2 pts, 11.5 reb, 3.3 ast, .516 FG%, .802 FT%
9. (NR) Blake Griffin - LAC - 18.2 pts, 8.9 reb, 3.3 ast, 1.4 stl, .527 FG%
10. (5) Zach Randolph - MEM - 17.2 pts, 12.4 reb, 1.2 ast, .502 FG%
Dropped Out: (6) Marc Gasol - MEM, (9) Rudy Gay - MEM
Honorable Mention: Tony Parker - SAS, Chris Paul - LAC, Marc Gasol - MEM, Al Horford - ATL
After leading the league in scoring for 3 straight seasons, wouldn't it be ironic if Kevin Durant finally won an MVP in the season when he didn't score the most points? That's exactly what he's looking at right now, with the Thunder on the first 10-game winning streak in Oklahoma City history. Durant fell off his 50-40-90 pace this week by missing one free throw too many, and just to show how difficult a feat it is to accomplish, he will have to make his next five straight just to get back on pace. I wouldn't bet against him, though.
Tim Duncan, already a legend, is hoping to break an incredible record this season: longest time between two MVP awards. Kareem currently holds the mark, winning his first and last awards 9 years apart in 1971 and 1980, but a Duncan win this season would put his first and last 11 seasons apart. It probably won't happen even if the Spurs end up with the best record, but it's impossible to ignore just how great the big man is still playing in his 16th pro season.
David Lee and the Golden State Warriors just completed the 6th game of a 7-game road trip on which the team has won 5 games and Lee put up at least a 20-10 in each game. Lee's been putting up this kind of numbers for several seasons now, but never for a winning team, and right now the Warriors are sitting at #5 in the West and are 7 games above .500.
The Clippers are heating up, and so is their star, Blake Griffin. He has scored at least 19 points in 6 straight games, which has been a big reason for LA's current 8-game winning streak. The Clippers are now the #3 team in the East and have a 7-game lead on the rival Lakers, who would miss the playoffs if they started today.
All-Star Picks
Moving up in bold.
Dropping in italics.
East
F LeBron James - MIA (9th game, 9th start)
F Carmelo Anthony - NYK (6th game, 5th start)
F Anderson Varejao - CLE (1st game, 1st start)
G Dwyane Wade - MIA (9th game, 8th start)
G Rajon Rondo - BOS (4th game, 1st start)
C Joakim Noah - CHI (1st game)
C Al Horford - ATL (3rd game)
F David West - IND (3rd game)
G Jrue Holiday - PHI (1st game)
G Evan Turner - PHI (1st game)
G Kyrie Irving - CLE (1st game)
F Chris Bosh - MIA (8th game)
Honorable Mention: Josh Smith - ATL, Paul Pierce - BOS
Dropped: Kyle Lowry - TOR
West
F Kevin Durant - OKC (4th game, 3rd start)
F David Lee - GSW (2nd game, 1st start)
F Tim Duncan - SAS (14th game, 13th start)
G Kobe Bryant - LAL (15th game, 14th start)
G James Harden - HOU (1st game, 1st start)
F LaMarcus Aldridge - POR (2nd game)
F Kevin Love - MIN (3rd game)
F Blake Griffin - LAC (3rd game)
G Russell Westbrook - OKC (3rd game)
G Tony Parker - SAS (5th game)
F Zach Randolph - MEM (2nd game)
C Al Jefferson - UTA (1st game)
Honorable Mention: Stephen Curry - GSW, Chris Paul - LAC
Dropped: Chris Paul - LAC, Dwight Howard - LAL
There are 7 players who deserve to be first time All-Stars, two of them starters, and 4 overall that deserve to be starters for the first time. James Harden replaced former teammate Russell Westbrook in the starting lineup this week, and David Lee passed Kevin Love as my favorite for the second forward spot in the West. Rajon Rondo has entered the starting lineup for the East, which would be the first time Boston's youngest star would play at the beginning of the All-Star Game.
Predictions
Upset picks are in italics.
NBA
Golden State at Atlanta - Hawks by 6
Orlando at Charlotte - Magic by 4
Cleveland at New York - Knicks by 17
Washington at Miami - Heat by 12
Indiana at Detroit - Pacers by 1
Brooklyn at Chicago - Bulls by 5
Dallas at Minnesota - Timberwolves by 6
LA Clippers at Milwaukee - Clippers by 5
Boston at San Antonio - Spurs by 12
Memphis at Utah - Jazz by 1
College Basketball
(1) Indiana at Butler - Hoosiers by 11
West Virginia vs. (3) Michigan - Wolverines by 10
Canisius at (4) Syracuse - Orange by 25
(5) Florida at (8) Arizona - Gators by 4
(6) Louisville at Memphis - Cardinals by 9
North Carolina-Asheville at (7) Ohio State - Buckeyes by 31
Belmont at (9) Kansas - Jayhawks by 4
(11) Cincinnati vs. Marshall - Bearcats by 22
Kansas State at (14) Gonzaga - Bulldogs by 11
West Carolina at (15) Georgetown - Hoyas by 13
(16) Creighton at California - Bluejays by 6
New Mexico State at (17) New Mexico - Lobos by 6
San Diego at (18) San Diego State - Aztecs by 19
Tuskegee at (19) Michigan State - Spartans
East Carolina at (21) North Carolina - Tar Heels by 25
Purdue vs. (22) Notre Dame - Fighting Irish by 6
Norfolk State at (25) North Carolina State - Wolfpack by 15
Bethune-Cookman at Pittsburgh - Panthers by 28
Alabama at VCU - Rams by 17
Lipscomb at Kentucky - Wildcats by 21
Prediction Results
NBA: 8-3 (.727) 227-108 overall (.678)
Upsets: 3-0 (1.000) 44-30 overall (.595)
College Basketball: 1-0 (1.000) 262-54 overall (.829)
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